Birthday tricks--and no, there weren't any hookers there.

Mostly, I wanted to use the word hookers in my blog title.  He didn't really do any tricks at his bday.  However, should youw ant to ooooo and ahhhh over the pictures.  Go here.  Or scroll down, whatevs.

So other than my baby being a genius (minus the thing where he eats like a dog with no hands off of his plate) he also isn't a huge fan of cake.  Or icing.  (I also do not love icing.  There.  I said it.)  Do you see that super cute party invite?  The one where I COMPLETELY forgot to put our address on it?  Luckily, everyone who came knew where we lived.  Maybe I was just subconsciously keeping all of you interwebs stalkers from coming to my house?  Yah... that's it.  You kids stay off my lawn!

Anyway, I bought the invite (digital image I had printed at costco for only $.12 a card!), the door hanger (which was originally a high chair banner that I gave a switcheroo with some hot glue) and the cupcake toppers all from this lady on etsy.  She was fabulous and amazing.  I totally plan on using Stylish Celebrations in the future. 

That ghetto cupcake stand?  As if you can't tell... I made it myself.  It's janky, but looked ok when you were distracted by the cupcakes--that I also made.  That blue icing just took a twirl in the mixer with some blue food coloring.  So what about the red?  We have a lot of red serving dishes and then I got some great red things on super sale.  I'm in love with the ceramic drink dispenser.  Red ribbon matched the invitation.  I lined our non mantled (ahem, Ben Black) area with some ribbon and then put up his month to month shots. 

The party favors that I forgot to hand out were mostly from the dollar section at target.  (I started collecting stuff a long time ago).  And that adorable smash cake?  Was from Paige's Bakehouse in Round Rock, Tx.  It was amazing and amazingly delish.  We had brisket, and Black Mac (mac n cheese), baked beans, bread, the kids had pbj, chicken and cheese sammies, and snack bags with cheerios and gold fish.  And there was some beer and wine.  Because lets be honest--Isn't this party about the fact that I've made it an ENTIRE YEAR?!?!  Kidding, it was a fabulous celebration of the G$.

The party was fun and a whirlwind.  I don't feel like I actually got to talk to anyone.  It was filled with laughter, and water games in the backyard, a little bit of sweat and a whole lotta love on that sweet baby (don't you dare call him a toddler) of mine.  (There are separate posts coming about ettiquite at work, a baby I found on the street (totally true), and his developmental milestones (that basically includes the words dadadadadada over and over again.)

Party on party people

A few pics to hold you over. Once I recoup from this weekend I'll tell ya more!

a year ago today

Was my last day of work before maternity leave.  Well, forced maternity leave.  My LAST day was supposed to be on Friday.  I was going to have a week off until my due date.  A week of lounging, pedicures, lunch with friends, last minute shopping, eating ice cream and sno cones til my hearts content.  You know because the day before a year ago today (follow that one?) my doc said... no progress.  I don't think we'll see this baby for a little while. 

mostly Gone were my fears of my water breaking in my office chair, who would clean that up, who would drive me to the hospital? would I get a new chair? how would we get my car home?  What if I had my baby in the car and the only person there was someone who had said some snarky well meaning comment? I'd mostly gotten past that.  Instead my eye was on the prize.  The prize of lounging.  But by Wednesday afternoon I felt a little off.  I took off from work 15 minutes early.  I laid in bed.  Nothing sounded good to eat (for the second day in a row.)  I ate shlotzkey's.  I took a bath because I felt really crampy (and I read that baths can help.)  I went to bed around 9, woke up around midnight super crampy.  Ben was watching tv.  I walked around to relieve my "cramps" and ate a couple of bowls of cereal.  Went back to bed... "cramps" got worse...

and I'll leave it there, because that was a year ago TODAY.  And much like my friend Nikki's mom... I will tell and re-tell G this story on the day before his bday for forever.  I will stretch it out the entire two days.  I will remind him of my PLANS.  I had Plans. 

But mostly... how I didn't realize those were contractions is beyond me.  So maybe I'll keep that part to myself.  He'll think I'm not very smart soon enough.  He's just advanced, that Griffin Andrew Black.  I mean, he's walking.  Clearly, he's a genius.  He also loves electrical cords and puts rocks in his mouth so maybe the label of genius is a little premature.

Whatever.  He is mine and totally worth breaking a few lunch dates.

you big ol' baby!!

Go to the grocery store while you're growing up so fast.  Make yourself useful.  Or at least make mom a cocktail.  On that thought... lets just stick with the cocktail.  We'll send dad to the store.  

My big ol' baby is ONE in only two days.  WTH?  Just yesterday I had a baby.  That's why my clothes are all still snug, right?  It JUST happened?  Whatever.  I welcome these double chins (photoshop them out, please) and this squishy middle (can we bring back elastic?)  I'd do it all again tomorrow... except that whole pre-epidural hours of contractions thing.  We can leave that part out.  Actually, it's long enough ago that I'd consider no drugs.  Clearly, my mommy memory is faulty.

More pics!

This is why we are married.

Because I like to disinfect things.  I like to sanitize G's toys.  I like to use our microwave sanitizer.  I apparently like to microwave toys with electronics in them.

I got all sad that G's vibrating teether quit working.

Ben said... Um, did you put it in the microwave?

Yes?

It's electronic.

Hmm... I wondered what that smell was.

I'm good at other things.

For 21 years.

SO I spoke on the last saturday at camp.  I was the "sending forth" message-er.  Have I mentioned my dislike/extreme nerves of speaking?  In groups?  When I can't fill the air with sarcasm and humor?  I mean, not that those things were lacking.  It IS me.  But it makes me sweat.  That speaking thing.  However, this year I was fine with it.  I wasn't nervous.  Maybe it's because the week was filled to the brim.  Every hour of the day.  At least 17 hours of the day.  It's hard work, but I love it.  This year was challenging.  We combined to senior high camps.  2 Senior high camps that have been separate since the beginning of time.  Two groups of high school students who have always done it this way.  (I say it like that because all it takes is one year for kids to say they've always done something.)  Most importantly, it was 2 groups of ADULTS who have always done things a certain way--which is more true.  A lot of these adults have been volunteering at camp FOREVER and so everything is personal--because they wouldn't be there if it weren't.  They wouldn't show up and take a week of vacation if they didn't love it.  And you know... kids wouldn't cause trouble if they weren't kids.  So here's the gist of what I said--

I started coming to THIS camp 21 years ago.  I have missed camp 2x in those last 21 years.  Once, after my freshman year of college (when you aren't yet old enough) and last year... when I was having a baby.

In 1998 when I was a senior in high school--I met a boy here--and I liked him.  I would walk beside him and hold my hand down in hopes he would hold it, and he did.

In 2005 I married that boy.  My husband who I met at camp.  The place that was so important to me and here are a few things that stand out most about that day--other than getting married, of course.  1.  My veil got trapped in the door.  That music was running out and people were looking around nervously.  2.  I told Ben I felt like I was going to vom and he looked at me and said, "it's not the time nor the place."  3.  Serving my camp friends communion brought me to tears.  I'm an awkward laugher--meaning when I'm awkward, I laugh.  I laughed a majority of our service (other than the puking thing) and when I was brought to tears by serving them.

This camp isn't about the people who are here right now.  It isn't about this specific place--though it is holy ground.  This is an amazing place.  When you meet people at camp you are meeting them on a different level. Camp friends are forever friends.  They're just different.  It would be easy to stay here.  It's easy to be good.  It's easy to see God in one another.  It's easy to have fun.

Then I read Jeremiah 29:10-23.  Usually, people read 11.  You know the one where they talk about giving you hope and a future.  It's all about how God has plans for you.  I think that seems intangible--especially when people are leaving.  This also includes being sent out into exile.  Which for a lot of those kids it feels like.  They are being sent back home to a place where they don't feel known, where they have parents who don't love them as much as I love them, where they are peer pressured, where it's hard to make the right choice, where it's simply hard--but they are being sent there.  They will be called back.  They always have a place--but God is present even in the exile--especially with the exiled.

That place is holy.  That place is where I grew up.  That place is where I spent the entire summer before I got married.  That place is where a majority of my best friends have come from.  That place is beautiful and hot as blazes in the summer.  That place is where kids go to just be themselves--or maybe someone else for a change.

(more funny post to come--one about how I spent a lot of my time on a golf cart, holding the oh shiz handle, planking, and G's first camp picture.)

It's the only way.

The only way we could keep the 11 month sticker on...